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Behind The Wrap
Technical insights and behind-the-scenes expertise from the Rhino Shrink Wrap team.
How Do Scaffold Shrink Wrap Prices Compare With Monarflex®?
A frequent question we are asked by scaffolders and contractors who are considering scaffold shrink wrapping is; How does the price of scaffold shrink wrap compare with the price of Monarflex sheeting? Firstly, my apologies, this is quite a long article, written for scaffolders and construction contractors who need detailed information about scaffold sheet pricing and the variables that can affect it. After reading, I hope you will be able to make an informed business decision about which scaffold sheeting to use which will hopefully lead to happy customers and more repeat work for your company. Traditional Scaffold Sheeting Before we dive in, we need to clarify; When we talk about ‘Monarflex’ are we referring to ‘proper’, branded Monarflex® sheeting? or do we just mean generic ‘traditional style scaffold sheeting’? (which can sometimes look similar in appearance to genuine Monarflex®) Although this distinction might seem unimportant, in my experience, many of us in the construction industry often refer to nearly all traditional style scaffold sheeting as Monarflex®, whether it is the real deal or not, and there can be big differences in performance (and significantly for this article – price) between the two products. To make a proper comparison between traditional style sheeting and shrink wrap sheeting for scaffolding we need to make sure we are comparing products of broadly similar performance. To avoid confusion, in this article, when we are refer to Monarflex, we mean genuine Monarflex®, manufactured by the Icopal Group, and when we are referring to all other types of non-Monarflex branded generic scaffold sheeting we will be calling it ‘traditional style scaffold sheeting’. We refer to ‘shrink to fit’ scaffold sheeting, such as Rhino Shrink Wrap or Envirowrap, simply as ‘scaffold shrink wrap’. If you don’t have the time to read this article in full, the quick answer when comparing scaffold shrink wrap and traditional style scaffold sheeting pricing is that if the absolutely lowest price of the sheeting materials is the most important decision factor for you, your project is short term, and you don’t mind what the sheeting looks like or how well it is likely to ‘perform’ in terms of resistance to detachment, then you will certainly be able to find traditional style scaffold sheeting products available for less than the price of shrink wrap sheeting for scaffolding. If however, the appearance of the scaffold sheeting is important to you and your customer, and your project requires high performance from the scaffold sheeting; perhaps detachment of the scaffold sheeting would have serious consequences or you require a high level of encapsulation & environmental containment, or you just want to make your projects stand out from the competition in terms of a smart and professional appearance, then you will probably be looking at choosing between Monarflex® or a shrink wrap sheeting such as Rhino Wrap. In that case the answer to the question ‘How does the price of scaffold shrink wrap compare to the price of Monarflex’ is not quite so clear and will need exploring in more detail. Why? because comparing the prices between Monarflex and shrink wrap depends on a number of factors; It depends on whether you are comparing the price of a ‘high grade’ wind tunnel tested flame retardant scaffold sheeting such as Monarflex Super T Plus Firesmart with high grade ‘Anchor & Tie’ fixings with scaffold shrink wrap sheeting or whether you are comparing the price of a roll of non flame retardant Monarflex scaffband scaffold sheeting attached to the scaffolding with standard bungee ties. The right product selection depends on the wind loadings you need the sheeting to be able to withstand, how long you want the sheeting to remain up for, and of course what your customer is willing to pay for. As we shall see in this article, shrink wrap can look more expensive than Monarflex® and traditional style scaffold sheeting until you compare products on a ‘like for like’ basis – i.e. you need to compare a scaffold shrink wrap with a traditional scaffold sheeting product with similar performance characteristics. The answer to the price comparison question also depends on what you need the scaffold sheeting to do – is it for a temporary roof covering? temporary weather protection to a scaffolding facade? or to provide full environmental containment around a bridge for blasting and painting operations? Finally, and as we shall see, perhaps most importantly, the answer to the price comparison question between traditional style scaffold sheeting and scaffold shrink wrap depends on whether you are looking just at the cost of the scaffold sheeting and the labor to fit it, or whether you factor in the costs of maintaining and repairing the sheeting, and the costs of any delays caused by detached scaffold sheeting. Because of the size of this article,we have split it into two parts. Part 1 looks at three ‘basic’ areas to consider when considering Monarflex pricing ‘v’ scaffold shrink wrap sheeting pricing. These are; The price of the scaffold sheeting materials. The price of labor to fit the scaffold sheeting. The price to remove the scaffold sheeting once the project is finished. Part 2 of this article explores other costs, perhaps not so obvious, but which can be, in my experience, quite common in the scaffolding and construction industry. These are; The price of maintaining / repairing the scaffold sheeting over the lifetime of the project. The price of standing workers down from a construction site where sheeting has become detached. Fines and charges from environmental contamination. Monarflex Sheeting Price First up, lets take a look at ‘Monarflex’. We have chosen to compare scaffold shrink wrap pricing with Monarflex due the dominance of Icopal’s ubiquitous product in the market. However, there are other brands / manufacturers in the UK including ‘Powerclad’ by ITP and Power Plastics plus sheeting that is imported into the UK from manufacturers worldwide. for many scaffolders and for many projects, Monarflex is a great product with which to create temporary weather protection or containment As specialists in shrink wrap sheeting for scaffolding you might expect us to be a bit biased but we think that for many scaffolders and for many projects, Monarflex sheeting is a great product with which to create temporary weather protection or containment. Furthermore, it is widely available and every scaffolder knows roughly how to fit it. However, the first challenge when comparing the price of shrink wrap sheeting and Monarflex is which ‘grade’ of Monarflex do you choose to compare? A glance at the UK website for Monarflex reveals many different types of scaffold sheeting including IcoScaff, Scaffband, Stripe and Super T Plus available in regular and flame retardant versions. The second problem in determining the price is finding suppliers and distributors of Monarflex who are upfront about their pricing. It appears that in this ‘information age’, many suppliers of scaffold sheet are quite reluctant to give pricing information on their website! However, from conducting an online price search in August 2019 for scaffold sheeting we found Monarflex’s top of the range Super T sheeting Flamesafe 45m x 3m supplied by Arco here. at £740.57 / roll. At the other end of the scale, Leach’s list a non flame retardant, 180 grams per square metre, 2 metre x 45 metre traditional style scaffold sheeting here for just £49.00! *All Exc VAT. Don’t forget the ties! This is another area where calculating the true costs of traditional scaffold sheeting can be confusing. Ties are supplied in different strengths and whilst minimum spacing for ties should be one tie every square metre, in practice, more ties are used than this. Leach’s list Monarflex’s flagship ‘Anchor & Straps’ fixings as £51 for a pack of 100 ties here. In contrast, Leach’s also list their bungee type scaffold sheeting toggle ties for as little as £23.50 here for a pack of 100. * All Exc VAT. Don’t forget….Monarflex type sheeting is re-usable……isn’t it? Some scaffolders believe that Monarflex works out much cheaper than shrinkwrap for scaffolding because it is re-usable. We agree, if the Monarflex type sheeting has only been installed for a relatively short period of time, and the bungee ties have not been stretched beyond use, then a scaffolder can send his team in to remove and fold the sheet for another job. In practice, we find this rarely happens, either because the sheeting and ties has become worn out or it simply costs more in labour to have scaffolders carefully remove and fold sheeting, bring back to the yard and store for reuse, than it does to dispose in a convenient on site skip and purchase new rolls for the next job. Now, lets take a look at the shrink wrap sheeting for scaffolding pricing. Scaffold Shrink Wrap Price Although scaffold shrink wrap sheeting can be supplied in widths up to 16 meters, it is usually supplied as a 7 meter wide x 15 meter long roll (folded 4 times to allow for easier transport). The typical price from suppliers is £176/roll for quantities up to 30 rolls and £156/roll for quantities over 30 rolls. Why 30 rolls? Well, 30 rolls is equivalent to around 1000 Kg or 1 x full pallet. Shrink wrap sheeting is generally supplied in white, 300 microns thickness and flame retardant to EN13501 as standard. Shrink wrap sheeting is not tied to the scaffold sheeting using bungee ties but it is secured to the scaffolding by wrapping around a scaffold tube and then heat welding the wrap back onto itself using a shrink wrapping heat tool. Rather than covering a scaffolding on a lift by lift basis, a sheet of shrink wrap will typically be dropped 3 lifts (around 6 meters). Once it has been secured to the scaffolding and any overlapping sheets have been heat welded together, the entire sheeting is heat shrunk ‘drum tight’, to create a completely sealed skin around the scaffolding. Price of scaffold sheeting materials – A summary From our conversations with scaffolders and contractors, it seems that a typical / realistic price for a roll of ‘mid-range’, flame retardant Monarflex® brand scaffold sheet (such as Scaffband FR) is £204.97 for a 2m wide x 45m long roll (90 square meters) from Arco here which is equivalent to £2.27 / m2. Meanwhile flame retardant shrink wrap scaffold sheeting may be priced at up to £176 here for a 7m wide x 15m long roll (105 square meters) which is equivalent to £1.68 / m2. What other factors might you want to consider for an accurate price comparison? Read on to find out more. Cost Of Labour To Fit Installing a Zipped Access Door The cost of labor to fit Monarflex® or traditional style scaffold sheeting can be calculated fairly accurately. Generally, a scaffolder can install up to 300 square meters per man per day. Based on a labor cost of £150 / day, the cost of installing traditional style scaffold sheeting is 50 pence per square meter. Although it will be easier to fit if the scaffolding is flush, as traditional style sheeting is hung on a ‘lift by lift’ basis, tubes will protrude through the sheathing at the points where the sheets overlap. It won’t be pretty and it won’t provide very effective containment of dust and debris but it does not affect the labor costs too much. However, with the installation of shrink wrap sheeting, the set up of the scaffolding structure can have a major effect on the rate of installation. If a scaffolding structure is flush, (or even better a system scaffolding), and consists of long straight runs, it can be quite possible to install over 200 square meters per man per day. If the scaffolding is not flush, the shrink wrap installer will have to cut the shrinkwrap around protruding scaffold tubes and re-seal the sheeting using the hot air gun. Depending on the level of weather protection or containment required, the installer may have to go back and tape around those protrusions to try and create the required seal. Similarly, if the shrink wrap sheeting is being used as a temporary roof covering, then this type of installation will take longer and the installation rate may drop to around 100 square meters per man per day. Poor weather may also impact negatively on the installation rate of scaffold shrink wrap compared with traditional style scaffold sheeting. Windy conditions can make it difficult to shrink the sheeting ‘drum tight’ and it can be difficult to make the most effective heat sealed joint between sheets in very wet conditions. One final note on labor costs for installing shrink wrap scaffold sheeting. Whilst every scaffolder knows how to fix traditional style scaffold sheeting, scaffold shrink wrapping is more of a specialized trade. Whilst learning how to shrink wrap is not ‘rocket science’, a shrink wrap installation team will have required some training and if this is your first ever job then this extra cost of training needs to be considered. (Of course, you could avoid this by using a specialist shrink wrap installer.) Cost of labour – summary Monarflex can be installed at rates up to 300 square meters per man per day, which works out around 50 pence per square meter assuming a labor rate of £150 / man / day. We normally estimate that an experienced shrink wrap contractor should be able to install up to 200 square meters of sheeting per man per day. Based on a labor cost of £150 / man per day this means that shrink wrap will cost more to fit than Monarflex, on average around 75 pence per square meter. Cost To Remove Scaffold Sheeting? This is never going to be a deciding factor in the Monarflex ‘v’ shrink wrap pricing debate but for the sake of completeness it is interesting to compare the cost of removing traditional style scaffold sheeting versus the cost of removing shrink wrap scaffold sheeting once the project is complete. To remove traditional style scaffold sheeting, the ‘bungees’ have to be untied from the scaffolding one by one. If the sheeting is to be reused or recycled then the bungees will also have to be removed from the sheeting one by one. Scaffold shrink wrap sheeting is much faster to remove. By cutting parallel to the scaffold tube at each point where the scaffold shrink wrap has been welded around the scaffold tube along the weld We normally estimate that one man should be able to remove, bale and load into a van about 300 square meters of shrink wrap sheeting per day. You can view a video of the shrink wrap removal process here. Instead of unclipping and removing individual tin sheets, the shrink wrap can be cut off in sections, and bundled for recycling. Cost To Remove Scaffold Sheeting – Summary Making a repair to shrink wrap sheeting In part 1 of this article we have examined the upfront costs of creating temporary weather protection or environmental containment, namely; The cost of the scaffold sheeting materials, the cost of labor to fit the sheeting and the cost to remove the scaffold sheeting once the project is complete. Taking these basic costs into account, it seems that on first look, scaffold shrink wrap sheeting is in many cases going to be a higher price than Monarflex. This begs the question; so why is shrink wrap sheeting on so many jobs, particularly larger and more ‘demanding’ projects? I think the answer is; There is not a significant price difference between Monarflex and shrink wrap when they are compared on a ‘like for like’ basis in terms of resistance to detachment in high winds. There are other ‘costs’ surrounding the sheathing of a scaffolding structure which are not always so obvious, but can be significant. Part 2 of this article explores these ‘hidden’ costs and misconceptions about scaffold sheeting in more detail. The Hidden Costs Of Scaffold Sheeting The cost of maintenance and repairs The cost of maintenance / repairs One of the chief ‘hidden costs’ of traditional style scaffold sheeting is the cost of maintenance and repairs over the life of the project. Now, I am not saying that shrink wrap scaffold sheeting will withstand all wind speeds or that traditional style scaffold sheeting will blow off and detach at the first gust of wind but detached scaffold sheeting is obviously a problem for both scaffolders and contractors. For the scaffolder, damaged scaffold sheeting is a problem because they have to go back and fix it. Scaffolders have told us that they have been back to some projects 3-4 times to re-attach failed scaffold sheeting. This means pulling their teams from other jobs, and buying more sheeting to replace what has been damaged…..and they have an unhappy customer (the contractor). This is not reflected in the upfront price of the sheeting materials but it is reflected in the total cost of the job. If you are using ‘traditional’ scaffold sheeting, one way of reducing the possibility of scaffold sheeting blowing off is to use the highest grade products and tie system available. In the case of Monarflex, their ‘Super T Plus’ scaffold sheeting has been wind tunnel tested to high wind speeds when used in conjunction with their ‘Anchor & Strap’ system. However, as we have already seen, this product carries a significant price premium compared with other Monarflex products. Rhino Sheeting has been tested in some of the most extreme locations worldwide such as the Lerwick Town Hall on the Shetland Islands where wind speeds regularly exceed 80+mph. We can see from the quick comparison here that Monarflex sheeting looks cheaper than scaffold shrink wrap until we compare a traditional style scaffold sheet of equal strength with scaffold shrink wrap. Then, it is surprisingly close, Super T Plus Flamesafe works out at £740.57 for a 3m x 45m roll from Arco here which is the equivalent to £5.48 per square meter without allowing for ties which from Arco are 7 pence each (as of time of writing). So traditional style scaffold sheeting looks to be a much closer price than scaffold shrink wrap sheeting but these lower price products such as Monarflex stripe or scaffband ranges are only recommended for use on shorter term projects that are not exposed to a high wind risk. If you compare a ‘like for like’ product, designed to withstand similarly high wind speeds, such as Monarflex Super T Plus then actually shrink wrap sheeting may be a lower price option. One of the handy aspects of scaffold shrink wrap sheeting is that should the worst happen, any local damage to the sheeting can be patched and sealed using an additional sheet. This is done by taking a patch of shrink wrap sheeting and applying it over the damaged area, so that it overlaps the damaged area by at least 30 cm. After temporarily holding the patch into position with 1-2 pieces of tape, the installer then uses the shrink wrapping heat gun to heat weld the patch to the original sheeting. Done properly, this patch and joint should be as strong as the original sheeting. The cost of standing workers down If workers are stood down because of bad weather, or because the scaffold sheeting has become damaged and the working area is not safe then this can be costly and bad for the reputation of the companies involved (and the sanity of the site managers and project managers involved). In addition, main contractors typically face fines if a project overruns and so a rugged and reliable sheeting can act as a kind of ‘insurance’ against this event. Fines and charges from environmental contamination One type of project where shrinkwrap scaffold sheeting is often found is to provide ‘full encapsulation’ around the blasting and painting of bridges. With this type of job, the scaffold sheeting is required to provide complete environmental containment of blast media and the paint residues which often contain lead and other toxic materials. Once contained, the toxic materials are removed and disposed of. The shrink wrap scaffold sheeting also allows for a controlled environment during the painting and curing stage. Shrink wrap sheeting is used for these projects for three reasons; 1) A film size of up to 16 metres wide allows for a covering with far fewer joints between sheets than traditional scaffold sheeting which tends to be only 2-3 meters wide max. Where sheets of shrink wrap sheeting need to be joined, they are overlapped by approximately 30 cm and heat welded together using a small hand held propane gas powered shrink wrapping gun. It is much easier to create a ‘final seal’ around a scaffolding with shrink wrap sheeting. Bridges are often in exposed locations, and subject to high wind loadings. Failure of the scaffold sheeting could mean a release of toxic material into the environment (bridges are normally over a water course of some kind). Whilst traditional scaffold sheeting can be used for environmental containment, sheets are typically just overlapped, and not sealed. Adhesive tapes can be used to seal joints but this is not ideal as it is time consuming and the adhesive strength of tapes can be very variable according to temperature, humidity and the cleanliness of the sheet. For the larger construction projects, or industrial projects shrink wrap is used for these very reasons. Although the initial costs may be slightly higher for shrink wrapping, the ongoing maintenance will be less and the risk of delays or overruns is minimized. Summary What I have hoped to show in this article is this; It is not that scaffold shrinkwrap is ‘good’ or traditional style scaffold sheeting is ‘bad’ but that we need to take more factors into account when calculating the true cost of each product than the basic material price of each product. Both traditional style scaffold sheeting such as Monarflex® and shrink wrap sheeting have advantages and disadvantages, it depends on what you need them to achieve. For a contractor who needs a fairly short term, basic level of weather protection then traditional style scaffold sheeting is a low cost, ‘cheap and cheerful’ solution. Traditional style scaffold sheeting can be bought for as little as £35 / roll which works out at just 38 pence per square meter! However, there is no way that this product is going to provide long term or storm proof temporary weather protection or effective environmental containment. To get a traditional scaffold sheeting product that has the same level of performance as shrink wrap sheeting then it is highly likely that it is going to cost the same or more than shrink wrap sheeting. However, although it is quite understandable that scaffolders and contractors looking at shrink wrapping for the first time might want to do it, it is actually a bit pointless and quite difficult to compare pricing between two very different products. Shrink wrap scaffold sheeting is not designed or developed to be the cheapest product on the market; every project that utilizes shrink wrap does so for the extra performance and different benefits it provides, compared to traditional style scaffold sheeting. And that really is the point of this article, if you need the extra benefits of strength, or improved final seal, then you are likely to have a project where the costs of failure or something going wrong exceeds the slight extra cost of purchasing and installing shrink wrap sheeting for scaffolding. Scaffold shrink wrap products, such as Rhino Shrink Wrap are not a good ‘fit’ for every project but should be considered for those where the costs of failure are more important than the price of the sheeting.
Interior Protection
Interior Protection Reroofing has its challenges, but dust and debris falling inside the building doesn’t have to be one of them. Installing a suspended cover solution helps to protect facilities from the variety of contaminants that result from reroofing activities. With a higher strength to weight ratio than shrink wrap, interior protection sheeting is a great option when temporary works are required for the safety of the clients assets below, whilst making sure downtime is to a minimum. In recent years, more awareness of the harmful dusts and debris on construction projects means more action needs to be taken to protect your workers from harmful dirt, easily avoidable with the correct solution. Applications for this include: Suspended Ceiling Construction Enclosures Asbestos Abatements Fumigation Covers Temporary Walls Remediation Covers Dangers of Construction Dust Dust is by far the most common hazard on construction projects with Silica dust being the biggest risk over asbestos. Construction workers throughout their career are exposed to these harmful chemicals which can lead to other serious chronic respiratory illnesses. We understand the importance of suppressing these harmful elements to ensure the safest working environment for your employees. Here are some of the dangers involved with construction dust and ways to help suppress these with our interior protection sheeting; Sick Employees The most immediate danger associated with construction dust and airborne substances is sick employees. Workers being exposed to contaminants like respirable crystalline silica over time can develop both acute and chronic respiratory illnesses e.g. Silicosis and lung cancer, forcing employees to leave the industry early due to ill health. Luckily, professional grade suppression systems and building encapsulations can keep these airborne contamination incidents to a minimum. Liabilities When an employee becomes ill due to improper protection, comes liability. If the incorrect procedures are not in place or do not meet health code standards to ensure a safe working environment for all employees. Government officials have created regulations that require certain safety measures to be in place for all commercial and residential construction projects, this include construction dust containment. Nobody should lose their construction company or damage their reputation because the construction dust containment solution they applied was cheap and ineffective. Our installation team has now been professionally trained to carry out temporary works creating a suspended ceiling and has recently finished a project spanning 3500m2! This installation only took 5 days with no heat required! If you would be interested in interior protection for your project, please contact us at: info@rhinoshrinkwrap.com or speak to our friendly team at: +44 (0)1477 532 222 to discuss further requirements.
Modular Buildings
Modular Buildings Shrink Wrap is becoming an increasingly popular product for modular building protection. Be it modular homes, modular bathroom pods or modular offices, shrink wrap is more and more being used to protect modules for transportation and storage. Thanks to its ruggedness and tight fit, shrink wrap will not detach or flap even at high wind speeds, allowing for peace of mind that your modules will be kept safe at all times. Better than traditional covers? Traditionally, where modular buildings need to be protected for road transport there are two solutions; The first method is to use general plastic sheeting which is battened around the edges of the module. This is a low cost option but it is difficult to fit this sheeting tightly so it tends to balloon at high speed and failure is not uncommon. As the consequences of sheeting blowing off a module on the motorway can be serious an alternative method is to use a reusable cover. These tend to work better than general plastic sheets but can be expensive to purchase, require periodic maintenance and need careful monitoring to ensure they are returned from site after each use. What are the benefits of a shrink wrap cover for modular / off site applications? Tough - ‘shrink tight’ fit means covers will not blow off, even at motorway wind speeds. Smart & professional appearance. No maintenance, the covers do not need to be returned, easy to remove covering at site and recycle. Security - wrapped items deter opportunistic thieves and keep the item underneath hidden from view. The module shrink wrap process – Open sides only Where it is required that the open sides only of modules require sheeting the key challenge is to find a way to anchor the shrink wrap sheeting to the modular building so that when it is heat shrunk, the sheeting pulls ‘drum tight’. The most common technique is to secure a picture frame of batten around the module edge. Once the wooden batten has been installed the shrink wrap sheeting is hung using a second run of batten which sandwiches the film tightly. The entire sheet can then be shrunk ‘drum tight’. The module shrink wrap process – Complete encapsulation Using this technique, the entire module is completely encapsulated in an industrial shrink wrap film. The usual method is before to ensure that any very sharp edges or corners have been padded with foam or similar. A ‘footprint’ of shrink wrap film is laid out on the ground. This footprint is cut up to 1 m larger than the footprint of the module which is to be shrink wrapped. The module is then lifted and placed on the footprint and the shrink wrap is pulled up and taped temporarily around the module sides. Shrink wrap sheeting is then unrolled over the roof of the module, cut from the roll and unfolded down each side. Using a hot air gun, the top sheet is heat welded to the ‘footprint’ along each side and the shrink wrap film is folded and heat welded at each end (in exactly the same way that you might wrap a large present!). Finally the entire module is heat shrunk ‘drum tight’. Generally speaking, it is not required that the roof be accessed for heat shrinking as a good quality shrink wrap film with a powerful and bi-axial shrink ratio will pull the roof tight once the sides have been shrunk Buying Guide Powerful and balanced shrinkage to ensure the cover fits ‘drum tight’ after heat shrinking. Strong welds – Welds need to stay bonded, even at motorway wind speeds. Flame retardant – EN13501. Some sites will only allow packaging that is approved to LPS1207 and 1215. Want to find out more? Why not read our guide to buying industrial shrink wrap film
I Need To Screen a Scaffolding From Residents
Scaffolding projects in ‘built up’ residential areas present a different set of problems for scaffolders and contractors than industrial scaffolding projects. With residential projects there will often be neighbors living close by who are already being inconvenienced by building works and may be sensitive to any kind of further disturbance. Although scaffold sheeting is usually installed to screen the construction work, the type of scaffold sheeting used can affect residents if it looks unsightly or flaps noisily in the wind at night. Schemes such as ‘Considerate Constructors’ specifically refer to the external appearance of the site and ways in which the impact on local residents can be minimized and in recent years we have noticed more and more projects in ‘built up’ areas like Central London where a smart appearance of the scaffold sheeting has been a key requirement of the scaffolder or contractor. This article looks at some of the sheeting options available to a scaffolder and contractor. We will compare conventional scaffold sheeting, building wraps and shrink wrap. The focus of this article is the appearance of the scaffold sheeting. 1. Conventional Scaffold Cladding Price Guide: £ Conventional ‘individual sheet’ scaffold sheeting is the ‘entry level’ solution. It is widely available and can be purchased for as little as 50 pence per square metre if you are not too worried about the brand / quality). When fixed properly, conventional scaffold sheeting can look fairly smart and might be the best choice for relatively short term requirements. However, because this type scaffold cladding is attached to the scaffolding by elasticated bungee cords, over time these cords tend to become stretched and lose elasticity. At this point the sheeting sags and becomes loose which affects the appearance and may even lead to the sheeting detaching altogether if the wind is strong enough. Another possible issue with traditional scaffold sheeting products is that even when first fixed, the sheeting will not be fixed very tightly around the scaffolding. This can lead to flapping against the scaffolding tubes in breezy conditions which may create a noise disturbance for local residents. 2. Building Wraps Price Guide: ££££ At the other end of the cost scale is building wraps. These are digitally printed mesh banners that can be applied to scaffolding structures or even direct to the facade of the building. The graphics are printed as strips which are then joined by heat welding them together. With a building wrap the facade can be turned into a giant billboard advertisment or on ‘heritage projects’ the banner can be printed with the facade of the building that is being worked on. You can see an example of this type of project undertaken by Embrace Building Wraps here – http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sexy-scaffolding-the-renovating-royals-love-a-good-coverup-8677457.html The price of a building wrap will vary but is typically measured in the tens of thousands. 3. Shrink Wrap Price Guide: ££ Fixing scaffold sheet using bungee tie Shrink wrap sheeting for scaffolding can solve many problems associated with screening construction projects in built up areas. Because all joints between sheets, in a similar way to building wraps, are heat sealed, the shrink wrap creates a ‘continuously bonded skin’ around a scaffolding, no matter what the size or shape of the scaffolding. Unlike building wraps which tend to be a mesh, shrink wrap also acts as a temporary weatherproofing, and contains any dust and debris generated by the construction work. The shrink wrap creates a ‘continuously bonded skin’ around a scaffolding, no matter what the size or shape of the scaffolding. The cost of shrink wrap sheeting will tend to be higher than conventional scaffold sheeting but much less than building wrap. The main disadvantage of shrink wrap compared with a building wrap is that shrink wrap cannot be pre-printed with an overall graphic like building wraps. This is because the shrink wrap sheeting is heat shrunk drum tight around the scaffolding structure and this would lead to some distortion of a detailed graphic Also, shrink wrap is generally supplied as a 7m wide roll. Even the latest high tech super wide digital printers costing in excess of £250k cannot print wide enough for scaffold shrink wrap. Summary Where building work needs to be screened from local residents in a smart and professional way conventional ‘individual sheet’ scaffold cladding, fixed around the scaffolding on a ‘lift by lift’ basis may be sufficient for short term projects but is unlikely to be a medium to long term solution. Building wraps provide an extremely professional scaffold covering but can be costly and do not provide much in the way of weather protection or containment of dust. Shrink wrap sheeting ‘sits’ somewhere between conventional scaffold sheeting and building wraps, it is fixed tightly and although it cannot be printed like a building wrap, it is possible to apply branding if required, through applying self adhesive vinyl signs. Whichever scaffold sheeting option you decide to go for, when it comes to creating the smartest possible appearance, how you set up the scaffolding structure is essential. You can find out more about setting up a scaffold structure for shrink wrapping here but in general the scaffolding structure must be flush. Furthermore, for the very best results, constructing an additional scaffold frame just for the sheeting will keep sheeting away from braces and fittings. Also, for best results there need to be some advance planning. When Rhino Shrink Wrap worked with Skanska on St Barts Hospital in Central London, the ways in which the sheeting was to be fixed was planned many months in advance. You can read a ‘case study’ on this project here.
I Need Total Encapsulation & Containment
One of the key requirements for scaffold sheeting of all types is to create containment of dust, debris or fumes around a building project. We see this requirement most typically on refurbishment type projects where some kind of blasting is being used as a surface preparation. This might be a building where the stone facade is to be blasted clean or a bridge where the metalwork needs blasting back prior to repainting. Where blasting is required the sheeting stops the blast materials escaping into the local environment and allows residues to be contained in a specific area for collection and disposal in a safe manner. Projects that require high levels of containment present special challenges for a scaffolder or contractor. To demonstrate the difference between traditional scaffold sheeting and shrink wrap sheeting when it comes to the containment of potentially hazardous dust and debris, we decided to do a test. First we wrapped a scaffolding structure in traditional ‘individual sheet’ scaffold sheeting. Smoke grenades were placed inside the containment tent and the results filmed. Then we wrapped the same scaffolding structure in shrink wrap sheeting and released the smoke grenades. Watch the video to see how the products compare. Which Type Of Sheeting Should I Use? For the complete encapsulation of scaffolding there are two options. The first option is to use the ‘traditional’ conventional cladding seen on many sites around the UK. This sheeting is typically supplied as a 2m-3m wide roll which is fixed on a ‘lift by lift’ basis around the scaffolding structure. The benefit of this type of sheeting is that it is easily available, relatively low cost and every scaffolder knows how to install it. However, the disadvantages are; 1. Dust & debris can escape through joints between sheets If you need to create containment around a construction project the joints between sheets are critical. With conventional ‘individual sheeting’ such as Monarflex the advice for containment is to overlap the lower sheet externally for weather protection and internally for containment. Because joints are just overlapped and bungee tied together, there is still likely to be many gaps and spaces where dust can escape. If the purpose is just general purpose of containment of large debris then this might not be a problem, but if the blast residues are lily to be toxic to the environment then this will not be sufficient. In this case, the only solution is to tape along every overlap on every lift of the scaffolding. This might be OK 2. Fixing the scaffold cladding requires holes to be punctured through the sheeting to allow bungee cords to be attached This type of sheeting is attached to the scaffolding using bungee ties which are pushed through the sheeting and then ties around a scaffold tube. This means that the very act of attaching the sheeting is creating small holes where dust may escape. Although this hole might seem small, the pressure of the blasting operations will force residues out. 3. Sheeting can detach in high winds Although conventional scaffold sheets are great for sheltered building projects or where protection is needed for the short term, most traditional sheeting products are designed to begin to detach at wind speeds / gusts of 40mph. The problem is not so much the sheeting itself but the method of attachment - the bungee ties. These ties tend to quickly lose their elasticity. The problem is not so much the sheeting itself but the method of attachment – the bungee ties. These ties tend to quickly lose their elasticity. When this happens the sheet starts to become loose and sag which leads to more flapping and even more stretching of the ties. In extreme cases the sheeting may detach altogether. Where the sheeting is providing basic screening this will be an inconvenience. Where the sheeting is providing a barrier against environmental contamination of the local area, detaching sheeting can be a major problem. What Is The Alternative? For scaffolding projects where complete containment is required shrink wrap sheeting can provide a number of benefits. Shrink wrap sheeting is typically supplied as a 7m wide sheet which enables up to 3 scaffolding lifts to be covered without joins depending on the project Fixing To Scaffolding Instead of using elasticated bungee ties, shrink wrap sheeting is attached by wrapping it around a scaffold tube and heat welding the sheeting back on to itself. In addition to being very strong this method also has the benefit of not deteriorating over the months which makes shrink wrap sheeting particularly useful for long term projects. Heat Sealed Joints Rather than simply overlapping and taping, all joints between sheets of scaffold sheeting are created by overlapping and then using a heat gun for shrink wrap to create a welded joint. This method creates a bond which is as strong as the original material and has the effect of creating a continuous containment skin around any size or shape scaffolding project. The problem is not so much the sheeting itself but the method of attachment - the bungee ties Final Seal Any discussion of a project that needs to contain something usually involves looking at ‘final seal’. Final seal can create quite a challenge. This describes the interface between the sheeting and the wall / ceiling / floor. The easiest type of containment is on internal projects such as a temporary actor partition. In this case the scaffolding is erected so that a tube is run parallel to the surface. The shrink wrap is then wrapped to the scaffolding in the normal way. A skirt can then be fixed from the sheeting. If the surface is suitable, i/e/ smooth, clean and dry then this skirt can be taped into position and the final seal has been created. However, in many cases, it may not be possible to simply tape a skirt into position. Powerful adhesives can be used although it must be noted that these can leave behind a residue which may be difficult to remove – certainly not ideal for heritage projects. A reliable way of creating a final seal between the shrink wrap sheeting. Often a wooden batten will be used to fix the sheeting to the toe board or boards on the lowest lift of the scaffolding. Typically, ‘Cordek’ or similar will then be laid over the boards. What Are Some Disadvantages Of Shrink Wrap Containment Sheeting? Scaffolding Structure For any construction project where the sheeting is important, paying special attention the the structure will be beneficial. For containment, the scaffolding structure must be flush – i.e. with no protruding ledgers, handrails, transoms or scaffold boards. Although sheeting can be cut around protrusions, and resealed using tape, it is always difficult to maintain 100% containment or weather proofing in this scenario. Protruding tubes also affects the appearance of the finished job! For more information on setting up the scaffolding structure ‘click here’. Training As mentioned, every scaffolder knows how to fit conventional scaffold sheeting. Whilst shrink wrap sheeting is not exactly ‘rocket science’, it is a specialized skill and because it involves use of a heat gun, should only be undertaken by someone who has had a degree of training. If you are interested, this is the training we put our own teams through. You can view videos of the installation process here. If you would like to train your own teams we can support you in your aim. For more information on shrink wrap training ‘click here’ Summary Traditional scaffold cladding is a low cost way to provide basic containment around a project and is a great choice where the containment is not critical and is only required for relatively short term projects. For a higher level of containment, the sealed joints of shrink wrap sheeting provides a more effective seal and because it does not use bungees, the sheeting will remain as tight as the day it was installed. Of course for best results the scaffolding structure needs to be right and you need to ensure you or your subcontractor are using a high quality sheeting that has been specifically engineered for scaffolding and that it is being installed by competent operatives.
Why Scaffold Sheeting Flaps and Detaches (and How to Stop It)
Creating robust and effective temporary weather protection or containment around a building project that remains in place for the duration of a job can be a challenge, especially for long term projects. A common problem is that the scaffold sheeting becomes loose over time and eventually completely detaches from the scaffolding. Of course, no temporary sheeting solution can provide a 100% guarantee of success for every application and weather condition but there are products and available which reduce the chances of sheeting causing a headache on your next project. So, what options are available to a scaffolder or contractor who is looking to provide weather protection or environmental containment around a construction project where detached sheeting would have serious consequences? Typical jobs which fit this category are where scaffolds are adjacent to railways, roads or power stations, where the sheeting is containing potentially toxic blast residues around a bridge undergoing blasting and painting, or where sheeting is providing weather protection over a ‘heritage’ project. Of course, detached scaffold sheeting is not a big problem for some projects or customers. For smaller or domestic scaffolds, which are only required for short term projects, then a basic level of temporary weather protection may be sufficient. Why does it matter if scaffold sheeting detaches? For the main contractor, detached scaffold sheeting can create unsafe conditions for workers on site. If the sheeting is providing essential temporary weather protection or environmental containment, then work may have to stop. Many building sites are members of the Considerate Constructors Scheme and flapping or detaching sheeting can annoy and sometimes endanger members of the public. For the scaffolder, damaged sheeting is a problem because they may have to go back and repair or replace which can be costly For the scaffolder, damaged scaffold sheeting is a problem because they may have to go back and repair or completely replace the sheeting. Scaffolders may go back to some projects 3-4 times to re-attach failed scaffold sheeting. This means pulling their teams from other jobs, and buying more sheeting to replace what has been damaged…..and they also have an unhappy customer (the contractor). This article looks at this difference between conventional scaffold sheeting products and shrink wrap scaffold sheeting in more detail. Shouldn’t scaffold sheeting detach for ‘safety’? There seems to be a fairly common assumption that conventional scaffold covers are designed to detach at a specific wind speed as a ‘safety’ measure. However, although figures are available for the break strength / load for each tie, or the pullout strength of eyelets, the ‘safe’ wind speed for any given scaffolding is not generally provided by suppliers. In the case of the Monarflex flexi tie, the breaking load is 450N but higher specification ties are available, (for example, the Monarflex ‘anchor and strap’ tie, has a breaking load of 500N.) Nevertheless, if a scaffold is to be sheeted, the scaffolding has to be designed to withstand the wind loading it may be exposed to, no matter what sheeting is used. A scaffold designer will not design a scaffolding differently according to which grade of Monarflex or which type of tie is to be used or whether an alternative product such as shrink wrap for scaffolding is to be applied. The point here is that conventional / traditional scaffold sheeting is a great product, and a good choice for many projects. However, we should not use it simply because it is ‘designed’ to detach at a specific wind speed and believe we have fulfilled all our health and safety obligations. A scaffolding structure should be always be designed by a competent person when any type of sheeting is to be applied. How to Reduce Conventional Scaffold Sheeting Detachment Traditional style scaffold sheeting is generally supplied as a 2, 3 or sometimes 4 metre wide sheet. It is usually tied to the scaffolding structure using an elastic shock cord or ‘bungee’. The sheet is typically made from two layers of LDPE plastic film which sandwich a reinforcing ‘scrim’. Reinforcing bands (or eyelets on higher specification sheeting) are provided at interval along the sheet which allow a tie to be pushed through the plastic sheet from the inside, wrapped around a scaffold tube and tied. There are many manufacturers of this type of sheeting and scaffolders can buy traditional style sheeting from many sources, although Monarflex is probably the best known. Monarflex product data sheets and specifications are easily accessed via www.monarflex.co.uk. According to Monarflex, the ‘economy’ Stripe or Scaffband ranges, used in conjunction with the standard Monarflex blue flexi tie are only recommended for use on shorter term projects that will not be exposed to the risk of high wind. According to the Monarflex website, a lower wind speed than 40mph may be sufficient to potentially remove these grades of sheeting from a scaffolding structure. Once the limitations of this type of sheeting are understood, the best way to stop it detaching is to install it in strict accordance with the manufacturers instructions which includes using a minimum of one tie per square metre of sheeting. Alternatively, if you are using ‘traditional’ style sheeting, you might consider a higher grade of sheeting such as ‘Super T Plus’ by Monarflex. The ‘Super T Plus’ scaffold sheeting has been wind tunnel tested to wind speeds of 77mph when used in conjunction with the highest specification ‘Anchor & Tie’ system. However tests did reveal that gusting winds of 40mph can be sufficient to break the fixings and remove the sheeting. (See http://www.monarflex.co.uk/products/scaffold-sheeting-installation.aspx) What Else Can You Do To Stop Sheeting Detaching From The Scaffolding? Another option is to use a ‘shrink to fit’ type of scaffold sheeting known as scaffold shrink wrap. Before we dive deep into why shrink wrap may be suitable for many projects where there is a high risk / consequence of the sheeting becoming detached from the scaffolding, it might be helpful to quickly consider some of the forces involved when wind blows on or across scaffold sheeting. The wind load or force which acts on scaffold sheeting is a combination of the mass (weight) of the wind and the wind speed at impact. This wind load is ‘balanced’ by the tensile stress of the sheeting. To avoid a scaffold sheet breaking, the tensile strength of the sheet must be greater than the tensile stress load produced by the wind. However, this is not the complete picture. After the wind load has been removed, with scaffold sheeting we need the sheet to return to it’s original state, i.e. we do not want the sheeting to be left baggy and flapping. In order for the scaffold sheet to return to it’s original state after a wind loading has been applied, the tensile yield strength must be greater than the tensile load that was applied by the wind. With traditional style scaffold sheeting, this tensile yield strength applies to both the sheeting itself and the elasticated bungees or other ties that are holding the sheeting to the scaffolding. If you have ever been back to scaffold sheeting and found that the bungee cords have stretched beyond return (they have no elasticity left in them), what has happened is that the load applied by the wind has been greater than the tensile yield strength of the ties. If the ties have broken altogether then the wind load has been stronger than the overall tensile break strength of the ties. How Does The Tensile Strength Of Traditional Style Scaffold Sheet Compare With Rhino Shrink Wrap Scaffold Sheeting? The tensile strength at break for traditional style scaffold sheeting is typically much more than shrink wrap sheeting so why is shrink wrap often used on projects where high wind loading is expected? The answer lies in how the different types of product are secured / tied to the scaffolding structure. Whilst traditional style scaffold sheeting, with it’s reinforcing layers and bands may have ‘on paper’ a greater overall tensile strength, the strength of traditional style scaffold sheeting will depend very much on the strength of the anchors / bungee ties. The total wind load on the sheet may be within the strength of the traditional style sheeting but not within the strength of the ties. This is why it is sometimes necessary to install far more ties than the recommended minimum. Another part of the problem is that it is difficult to fit the scaffold sheeting tightly. When the sheeting is loose it will flap around and create point loads at the eyelets that exceed the break strength of the ties and / or sheeting. However, over tightening an elasticated bungee will risk that when a wind loading is applied, it may be stretched beyond the point of return and the sheet will become loose and saggy. So why may shrink wrap scaffold sheeting be more resistant to high winds than traditional scaffold sheeting? Shrink wrap may be more resistant to detaching in high winds than traditional style scaffold sheeting because it does not rely on ties (such as elasticated bungee ties) to fix the sheeting to the scaffolding. Instead, the shrink wrap is wrapped around a scaffolding tube and heat welded back on to itself. This welded joint is as strong as the original shrink wrap material. In addition, because the shrink wrap sheeting is heat shrunk ‘drum tight’ by the installation team after it has been hung and welded around the scaffolding, it does not flap and bellow. With traditional style scaffold sheeting, it is this flapping which is often what causes point loads on the eyelets or ties of traditional scaffold sheeting to exceed specification and cause failure. (This is one reason why traditional sheeting has the reinforcements around the eyelets where the ties pass through the sheeting). Shrink wrap moulds very very tightly around the scaffold structure, creating a ‘continously bonded skin’ that will not flap and chafe and detach. Set up the scaffold structure to get the best results It doesn’t matter what type of sheeting you use, where a scaffold is to be encapsulated with sheeting, then a flush structure will create the best chance for success. A flush structure will allow you to fix the sheeting as tightly as possible and install ties in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. One of the many system scaffolds is easiest for shrink wrapping but regular tune and fitting is no problem so long as ledgers, transoms, handrails and boards are kept flush. Use the best quality shrink wrap materials available Although shrink wrap sheeting from different suppliers can look Download the data sheets and compare specifications. Although we have seen how much of the strength of shrink wrap scaffold sheeting derives from it’s method of attachment to the scaffolding and hw it is heat shrunk ‘drum tight’, the basic mechanical strength of the shrink wrap is important also. Always compare specifications and choose a film that has the highest strength at yield (this means that it can ‘bounce back’ after experiencing wind loads and will not become baggy over time). For sheeting you should also consider issues such as flame retardant standards it has been tested to and the UVI that has been added. For a much more detailed investigation on what to look out for when buying shrink wrap for scaffolding click here. Fit in accordance with the manufacturers instructions It might seem obvious but failure to follow the manufacturers installation guidelines will mean the sheeting will not perform as designed. In the case of traditional style sheeting this may relate to using ties at a specific interval. With shrink wrap it may relate to creating joins or welds between sheets with the correct overlap. For more information on fitting shrink wrap sheeting click here or for information on finding the best shrink wrap training course for you click here Use trained installers & install in the correct weather conditions Attempting to fit any type pf scaffolding sheet in poor weather conditions may have an impact on the quality of the finished job. For shrink wrap coverings in particular it is important to ensure that the wrap is only heat shrunk ‘drum tight’ in light winds. Failure to do this may result in the ‘signature’ smooth wrinkle free finish being compromised – not great if the smart & professional appearance of the sheeting is important to you. Summary In summary, whichever sheeting you use, you need to ensure that the scaffold is designed to withstand the extra wind loads that will be imposed on it. In addition, whether it be conventional products such as Monarflex or newer products such as Shrink Wrap, always use the best quality scaffold sheeting available and install according to the manufacturers recommendations. If you have any questions or require any assistance give our team a call at Rhino Shrink Wrap on +44 (0)1477 53222 or email info@rhinoshrinkwrap.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
What Are The Disadvantages of Shrink Wrap Scaffold Sheeting?
What are common challenges associated with scaffold shrink wrap? Why is it that when you ask most suppliers what are some disadvantages with their product or service, they seem to put on rose tinted safety glasses – Disadvantages? Our product? Never!Lets be honest, no product can be the perfect ‘fit’ for every situation or every customer, and this is certainly true for scaffold shrink wrap sheeting. This article explores the most common problems we experience with scaffold shrink wrap and includes some suggestions of how you can fix (or even better avoid) the problems we have found over the years. Hopefully, after reading the article you should be able to judge what are the situations when you should / shouldn’t use shrink wrap sheeting for the temporary weather protection or environmental containment of construction projects. Not planning in advance how best to set up the scaffold structure for shrink wrap sheeting. With traditional style scaffold sheeting products, which are generally installed on a ‘lift by lift’ basis around the scaffolding, protruding transoms, ledgers and standards do not cause much of an issue for the installation of sheeting, because the scaffold tubes stick through the sheeting at the point the strips of scaffold sheeting overlap. For shrink wrap sheeting, which is normally supplied as a 7 metre wide sheet, having to cut around protruding tubes, whilst not impossible, can affect both the appearance and performance of the finished job. What is the impact of this problem? Appearance It is still a surprise to me how many scaffolders and contractors appreciate shrink wrap sheeting for its smart and professional appearance alone. Because of the heat welded joints and ‘drum tight’ finish, a shrink wrapped scaffolding can look very neat and different to traditional style scaffold sheeting which can start to sag and look untidy after a week or two.However, protruding scaffold tubes make it very difficult to make the scaffolding sheeting look its best. Although the sheeting can be cut around protruding tubes, sheeting will need to be welded back together and if the smartest possible scaffold sheeting is your goal, then you want to minimize the amount of welds and joints between sheets. Performance Where appearance is not so important as performance, protruding tubes cause a problem for scaffold shrink wrap sheeting in other ways. For projects where the shrink wrap sheeting is creating some kind of environmental containment then the protrusion of tubes makes that very difficult to achieve. The installer will need to go back and use the shrink wrap repair tape to seal around the point where each scaffold tube passes through the sheeting. Whilst this solution might work in the short term, over the weeks these taped seals may start to become less effective. Although shrink wrap sheeting will generally mold very tightly around the scaffolding structure, if there are very sharp tube fittings and scaffold tube end then over time, these can be a problem by wearing through the sheeting and creating holes. It is unlikely to affect the integrity of the entire sheet but it doesn’t look good and will obviously let water in and dust out. There needs to be some kind of support for the sheeting! You might be surprised at the number of times we have turned up to a job to be asked to install some sheeting where there is no scaffolding structure to support and attach the sheeting to. Although shrink wrap is available in much larger widths than normal traditional style scaffold sheets it still needs a support structure underneath / behind it, at least 2 meter centers.You need to think about how the shrink wrap installers are going to access the sheeting. It is not enough to consider that the installers need to be able to reach every part of the sheet during the installation process, either to create welds or heat shrink drum tight. This is a particularly important consideration for the shrink wrap encapsulation of temporary roofs – if safe access cannot be created either to the underside or top of the shrink wrapped roof then it may be best to consider an alternative solution such as the excellent ‘system’ roofing systems provided by Haki and others.Another ‘problem’ is that shrink wrap sheeting is not designed to detach from the scaffolding in high winds. You should also pay attention to how the scaffold structure will contain any wind loadings that will result from the installation of the shrink wrap sheeting.Whilst this is true for all types of scaffold cladding it is particularly important for shrink wrap sheeting because it is a high performance product which is designed not to detach from the scaffolding. How to prevent problems connected with the scaffolding structure The simple answer is to plan the set up of the scaffold structure in advance. Key points to remember are Keep the scaffold structure flush Ensure the scaffold is fully boarded to create safe access to all parts of the scaffold structure that require sheeting For a really great looking job, install a ‘sheeting rail’, mounted on a single, around the scaffolding lift by lift, this will hold the sheeting off scaffold fittings and prevent any sharp bolts sticking through the sheeting. If you are using the sheeting to create a temporary roof or even just a small canopy style roof over the top lift, a tube mounted on the edge of the roof keeps the shrink wrap away from the ends of tubes and helps to prevent snags during installation. You can read a detailed guide to setting up scaffold structure for shrink wrap sheeting here. Not using trained operatives to install scaffold shrink wrap sheeting Whilst traditional style scaffold sheeting products can be installed by most scaffolders without a problem, scaffold shrink wrapping, despite not being ‘rocket science’ is a specialized trade which requires some training and experience to be carried out safely to a high standard. For example, shrink wrap sheeting requires the use of a shrink wrapping hot air tool, which is used to create welded / sealed joints between sheets of scaffold wrap and of course, to heat shrink the cladding and achieve that signature ‘drum tight’ / wrinkle free appearance which is unique to shrink wrap cladding. The shrink wrapping hot air tool or ‘gun’ is a powerful tool, which uses propane gas and so an understanding of it’s safe operation is essential. What is the impact of this problem? There are a number of problems connected with inexperienced operatives installing shrink wrap sheetingOne of the key skills to master when shrink wrapping is how to create a welded joint between two pieces of shrink wrap. Using the hand held shrink wrapping heat gun, the trick is to direct the hot air between the two pieces of shrink wrap film that you wish to join until they reach their melt point. The heat is removed and the two pieces of film are pressed together using a gloved hand so that they stick. Inexperienced users will tend to use insufficient heat so that the shrink wrap is not joined properly. Alternatively, an untrained installer may use too much heat and burn holes in the shrink wrap sheet.Either way, if sheets of scaffold wrap are not joined properly the weld will be weak and may leak or not provide proper containment of dust and debris. Another key skill involved in the encapsulation and containment of construction projects using shrink wrap is to shrink the film ‘drum tight’. Once again, the problem centers on operatives not using enough heat (wrinkles and creases remain in the sheeting and it is not drum tight) or too much heat (holes appear in the shrink wrap sheeting which need patching with more shrink wrap or shrink wrapping tape). What is the impact of this problem? Hopefully, the only impact of not using a trained & experienced installation team is that the sheeting looks a bit ‘rough around the edges’ but still achieves it’s purpose. However, poor quality welds and poor quality shrinking may lead to the scaffold sheeting detaching during windy conditions. How to minimise the effect of this problem? The best way to avoid this problem is to plan ahead and do your homework. If you are looking for a fully installed shrink wrap service, you might want to check out this article; ‘Which scaffold wrap installer is best for my project?’ which explores some of the criteria for choosing an installer and looks at the main companies in the UK providing a shrink wrap contractor service. Alternatively if you are looking to buy the materials and equipment and carry out the work you might want further information on the skills involved you might want to read another article; ‘How do I shrink wrap a scaffolding?’Alternatively, if you are looking to install the scaffold shrink wrap yourself to using your own teams you might want to check out this article; ‘What scaffold shrink wrap materials & equipment do I need?’ Although these articles explore shrink wrap training in more detail, in terms of minimizing the effect of the problem I would advise finding a company who can provide you with training and then provide you with a trainer or experienced operatives to accompany your team on their first job. Trying to install scaffold shrink wrap in wet and windy weather conditions Aside from the problem of trying to handle any kind of sheeting materials in wet and windy conditions, there are a couple of aspects of scaffold shrink wrap that make getting the right weather conditions particularly important. The main problem with attempting to shrink wrap a scaffolding structure in windy conditions is that shrink wrap scaffold cladding needs to be, well, shrunk ‘drum tight’. After all, the way shrink wrap sheeting becomes tightly molded to and around the scaffolding is where much of the unique appearance and performance of shrink wrap sheeting comes from. What is the impact of this problem? To heat shrink the scaffold cladding, first the shrink wrap sheeting must be attached to the scaffolding by wrapping around tubes and heat welding the plastic back onto itself. At this point, the shrink wrap sheeting resembles traditional style scaffold sheeting, i.e. it may be reasonably tight but there will inevitably have wrinkles and creases and will certainly not be as ‘tight as a drum’. To get the shrink wrap sheeting ‘drum tight’, the operator uses the propane gas hot air gun to blow hot air over the surface of the sheet. If you were watching this process you would see the appearance of the shrink wrap change and become quite ‘glossy’. It is also quite soft and flexible and then as it cools, it shrinks and hardens.The problem with shrink wrapping a scaffold in windy conditions is that during the heat shrink process, if the wind can blow on to the shrink wrap as it is in the ‘hot and flexible’ stage, before it has had a chance to cool and harden. When this happens, instead of shrinking tight, the shrink wrap expands into a bubble.The only way to fix this is to heat weld a patch of shrink wrap over this area and try shrinking again but the appearance will not be as good. Secondly, unlike traditional style scaffold sheeting where sections of scaffold sheet are simply overlapped and bungeed to the scaffolding, (leaving gaps between the sheets for water to enter or dust to escape), two sheets of shrink wrap are joined by overlapping them by about 30 cm and then heat welding the two sheets of scaffold wrap together to make a completely sealed joint. (You can see a video of this process by clicking here).Once this join has been made, it should be as strong as the original sheeting and it should be impossible to pull the welded shrink wrap joint apart. However, when shrink wrapping in very wet conditions, if rainwater gets between the overlapped area before the weld has been made, then it can be more difficult to get a strong and robust joint. It should be noted, that this applies to very wet conditions, and is more of a problem where shrink wrap sheeting is being used as a covering for a temporary roof scaffolding. How to minimize the effects of this problem One aspect of the weather is that sometimes it is better to delay starting a job until the weather is right, particularly with roofs. I know this can be a difficult decision to make, particularly if a client is applying pressure on you to complete the work as soon as possible, however, pressing on regardless can often cause more problems in the long run. For example, installing a section of shrink wrap sheeting at the end of a working day when it is too windy to shrink it tight and more windy conditions are expected overnight, may just lead to the section flapping and becoming damaged beyond repair overnight, so that it has to be replaced. In this scenario it would be worth waiting until the sheeting could be hung and heat shrunk drum tight. Using a good quality shrink wrap sheeting (one that has been designed to shrink powerfully in all directions) can reduce the problem of windy conditions, and using a shrink wrap sheeting that welds powerfully can also help, but ultimately this is something you should always bear in mind and if your project has only one ‘window of opportunity’ to apply the cladding sheeting, then shrink wrap may not be the best choice. Poor quality shrink wrap sheeting If you would like to explore the importance of scaffold shrink wrap quality to your jobs then we have written a much more detailed article here; ‘Understanding Shrink Wrap Quality’ What is poor quality sheeting? In terms of scaffold shrink wrap poor quality generally manifests itself in two ways. Very difficult to weld / welds start to come apart after a period of time Shrinkage is weak or not consistent (i.e. sheeting shrinks lots in one direction but not much in the other direction) which makes it difficult to get a ‘drum tight’ wrinkle free appearance. The mechanical strength of the scaffold sheeting is low. We explore this in more detail in this article – ‘Will Scaffold Shrink Wrap Fail in Strong Winds?’ What this means is that wind loadings cause the shrink wrap to stretch beyond the point of no return. What is the impact of this problem? However, bottom line is that poor quality shrink wrap sheeting affects jobs in a very similar way to poor quality installation Sheeting may detach from the scaffolding Joins / welds between sheets may open up Sheeting may look tired, with many wrinkles and creases. How to minimize the effect of this problem? Once again, the main thing is to do your homework. Although it is rather tedious and time consuming, ask your suppliers for the specification and data sheet for the shrink wrap sheeting and compare it between suppliers. Although the can be rather overwhelming, the main issues to focus on are shrink ratio (which will give you an indication of how tight the sheeting is likely to be after shrinking) and yield strength (which will tell you how much wind the sheeting is likely to take before it becomes loose and saggy).Thank you for getting this far! Because scaffold shrink wrapping is such a specialized trade it can be difficult to find straightforward advice that is not just sales ‘blurb’.
When Shouldn't I Use Shrink Wrap Scaffold Cladding?
When Shouldn’t I Use Shrink Wrap? Why is it that when you ask most suppliers what are some disadvantages with their product or service, they seem to put on rose tinted safety glasses – Disadvantages? Our product? Never! You Can’t Wait For a Weather Window Once fitted and heat shrunk ‘drum tight’, scaffold shrink wrap is generally considered to be very resilient to wet and windy weather. However, to fit shrink wrap sheeting over and around a scaffolding structure successfully needs good weather during installation to get the best results. Although it may not be totally unfeasible to shrink wrap a scaffolding structure in wet and windy conditions this can cause problems; RAIN Wet weather affects the scaffold shrink wrap process in two ways. Welding: If rainwater gets in between two sections of shrink wrap that need to be welded / joined together, it becomes difficult to heat the shrink wrap (using the propane shrink wrap gun) sufficiently for the shrink wrap to stick / weld together properly. This is less of a problem when hanging sheets around the sides of a scaffolding structure, as any water will tend to run away down the sheet, but rainwater inside the ‘weld’ can be a particular problem when trying to make joints between sections of shrink wrap sheeting when creating temporary roofs. Heat Shrinking: If rainwater is covering the shrink wrap sheeting during the final heat shrink process, although the sheeting may shrink tight, the shrink wrap may have a ‘speckled’ appearance where water droplets prevented the hot air properly reaching the scaffold wrap film. This is more of an appearance issue but it is worth being aware of it for those jobs where the appearance of the scaffold sheeting is important. WIND Whilst wet weather can be inconvenient, windy weather can make fitting shrink wrap sheeting very difficult. What is windy? Well, for shrink wrapping it is normally considered ideal conditions if the winds are 10 mph or less but depending on location, still achievable if the wind is gusting up to 20mph. Windy conditions affect the scaffold shrink wrap process in two ways. Fitting: Most scaffold shrink wrap installers use a 7m wide x 15m long shrink wrap roll which is typically used to cover a vertical height of 3 lifts or 6m. Windy and gusty conditions make it difficult to unroll, fit and temporarily clip a sheeting section of this size (approx. 100 m2) with sufficient tension . Although the heat shrink process does remove slack, if the sheeting is not fitted with enough tension to begin with then it will not be tight enough after heat shrinking and the strength of the film will be affected. Heat Shrinking: After fitting and heat welding into place, the final stage of the shrink wrap process is to heat shrink the entire sheeted area ‘drum tight’. This involves using a propane gas heat gun to heat the area. The operator holds the gun around 40cm from the shrink wrap sheeting and uses a motion similar to spray painting . As the film is heated it initially becomes soft and flexible, as the shrink wrap cools it shrinks until the sheet is taught and tight. However when shrinking the film in windy conditions, a hot area of the shrink wrap can be blown into a bubble and even create a large hole. Although the strength & integrity of the whole sheet will not be affected and it is possible to patch this hole from the inside with another piece of shrink wrap film, the appearance of the finished job will be affected. You Are On a Really Tight Budget Although shrink wrap sheeting material costs from £1.35/m2, shrink wrap will never be able to beat traditional scaffold sheeting on price alone. With scaffold shrink wrap there will always be some extra labor costs for fitting it and the requirement to purchase some shrink wrap heat gun(s) and possibly some training for your team. Clients who need the extra performance of scaffold shrink wrap, generally understand the extra costs involved. However, if you just need a ‘bit of sheeting’ for a client who wants the lowest price at all costs then probably a traditional scaffold sheeting product is a better option. The Site Won’t Allow Hot Air Tools The ability of scaffold shrink wrap to withstand high winds derives from its ability to be heat shrunk ‘drum tight’ around the scaffolding structure and to do this requires hot air to be blown across the surface of the sheet and this requires a hot air gun! Shrink wrapping guns are usually powered by propane gas as this creates a powerful heat source that is able to shrink large areas rapidly. Electric heat guns are available, (such as the Leister Forte S3), but compared to a propane gas shrink wrap gun the electric tools are slow, heavy and expensive tools and are not considered of practical use for the shrink wrapping of scaffolding. Some construction sites will require a hot work permit before shrink wrapping work can commence but on some sites, most notably oil refineries and similar environments will not permit hot works of any kind whilst the plant is in operation. There have been examples of shrink wrap companies utilizing a tensioning and gluing technique with shrink wrap film to overcome this ‘no hot work’ rule but it is much slower and more expensive per square meter and not suitable for a typical construction project. You Want To Make Lots Of Adaptations Traditional reinforced scaffold sheeting, at 2-3 meters wide and fixed around each lift of the scaffolding structure with bungee cords is easily removed and so ideal for situations where lots of adaptations are needed to the scaffolding structure. Once the shrink wrap has been heat welded into place, it cannot be removed and refitted. The Scaffolding Structure Is Not Flush To get the full benefits from shrink wrapping, the scaffold structure should be ‘flush’ with no protruding ledgers, transoms or standards. This is particularly true where a high level of environmental containment is needed (such as a shot blasting and painting). Protruding tubes make fitting a 6-7m sheet difficult and it can be time consuming to tape around each scaffold tube protrusion. If the structure cannot be built flush, or you do not want to cut any tubes then a traditional sheeting might be a better option. Despite the scenarios outlined, shrink wrapping is ideal when a more robust and better looking solution than regular scaffold sheeting is required. To download a free visual guide to the shrink wrap installation process, use the link below;
What is LPS Certified Scaffold Sheeting and Why Is It Different?
Flame retardant shrink wrap standards and certification can seem confusing. How would you prove, if challenged, that you had taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the product you supplied met the flame retardant standards? Read on for facts and links to resources to help you fulfill your health and safety obligations with confidence.